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St Kilda Football Club and Sandringham Football Club will again join forces to present clear football pathways for participants across the Bayside region, working together to manage a VFLW license in 2019.

The partnership will see the Southern Saints play most of their home games at Trevor Barker Beach Oval, while RSEA Park (home of St Kilda) and Skybus Stadium (Frankston Park) will also be used.

The change comes after Frankston, who supported the Southern Saints in the club’s inaugural season in the competition by hosting games at Skybus Stadium, advised St Kilda and AFL Victoria of its desire to prioritise focus solely towards its VFL team in 2019, having returned to the competition this season.

AFL Victoria CEO Steven Reaper said the future vision for women’s football in the region is in the best interests of all clubs involved.

“The outcome has been a collaborative decision by all stakeholders for the best interests of women’s football in the region,” Reaper said.

“Frankston has decided its immediate priority is their VFL side, but it is still the aim of the club to develop a VFL Women’s team under the Frankston name in the future, with St Kilda to support any future venture in its Next Generation Academy (NGA) area.

“Sandringham recently submitted an excellent VFL Women’s application that provided AFL Victoria confidence they value the female football pathway and want to be part of it, with this new partnership an excellent first step in their progression into women’s football.

“St Kilda will aim to facilitate the integration of Southern Saints into Sandringham throughout 2019, to best assist St Kilda’s push towards AFL Women’s in 2020.

“The move will further strengthen the current alignment between St Kilda and Sandringham that is in place from a VFL perspective.”

The 2019 Swisse Wellness VFL Women’s fixture will be released in mid-December.